Buffalo Sabres sign goaltender Nathan Lieuwen

By caitlincampbell

The Buffalo Sabres have signed Nathan Lieuwen to a 3 year entry level contract, in all likely hood Lieuwen will end up starting the year off in the AHL competing for the starting job with the Rochester Americans and replace David Leggio who will likely end up the odd man out.

Lieuwen is coming from the WHL where he was ranked3 3rd amongst all WHL goalies with a 2.50 Goals Against Average and a .914 Save Percentage. He lead his Kootenay Ice team to a memorial cup championship in 2011 and won WHL playoff MVP after going 16-21. The Sabres drafted the British Columbia goalie in the 6th round (167th) of the 2011 NHL entry draft. In 5 seasons in the WHL he finished with a 85-59-8-7 regular season record.

Lieuwen had a tough go in the WHL as he missed parts of his 5 season with the Kootenay Ice trying to recover from a concussion which forced him to miss the majority of the 2010 season. He has the big 6 foot 5 frame that many scouts deem crucial to playing the new NHL, with the size, skill and a memorial cup championship on his resume, he should be able to push for the starting job with the Americans.
The Buffalo Sabres now have deep depth in the goaltending area as Nathan Lieuwen becomes the 4th Sabres goalie eligiable to play in the AHL. He joins current goalies David Leggio and Connor Knapp and Drew MacIntyre. If Lieuwen can have a strong camp he should be able to knock out David Leggio who has led the Americans for the last two seasons but has failed to advance up the Sabres depth charts.

Nathan Lieuwen will be under contract with the Buffalo Sabres until the 2014-2015 season.